Drying tumbler



Sept. 29, 1959 A. H. DE Moss 2,906,035.

DRYING TUMBLER Affi/J.

Sept. 29, 1959 A. HDE Moss y 2,906,035

DRYING TUMBLER Filed neo. 2o, 195e s'sneets-sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

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.SPt 29, 1959 A. H. DE Moss 2,906,035

DRYING TUMBLER Filed Dec. 2o, 195s 5 sheets-sheet 3 7/ INVENTOR.

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` DRYING TUMBLER Filed De'c. 20, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IIIIIIII' sept. 29, 1959 A, H. E- Moss y 2,906,035

DRYING TUMBLER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 20, 1956 INVENTolL mi' 71. @L Yum ma bwa.

United States Patent O DRYING TUMBLER Albert H. De Moss, Fox Point, Wis., assignor to The American Laundry Machinery Company, Norwood, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 20, 1956, Serial No. 629,622

7 Claims. (Cl. 34-4'5) .The invention relates todrying tumblers for the drying of laundry, linen supplies Iand dry cleaned fabrics, textiles, wearing apparel, cloth, rugs and carpets, etc., and more particularly to a dump-ing type of tumbler.

One object of the invention is to provide a drying tumbler of the dumping type in which the drying drum is continuously revolved during the drying operation and is also revolved during dumping but at a lower speed than during drying so that the load can be readily discharged from the drum into la receptacle in'a controlled path and without danger of spreading or flying out in all directions. More particularly, the drum is driven by a two speed electric motor under the control of the operator for drying and dumping purposes and using a single drive transmission from the motor to the drum, the slower speed automatically coming into operation when the drum is tilted for unloading. v

A further object of the invention is to provide the drying tumbler with an improved door mounting which permits the door to be moved to open position in la substantially vertical position so that it projects a minimum amount from the head of the drum and thus does not block free access to the space in front of the drum for loading and unloading operations.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter described and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front end elevation view `of .a drying tumbler embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the tumbler, parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation view of the tumbler in a drying position with the door open;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation view of the tumbler in a dumping position;

Fig. 5 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken on lthe line 5 5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 of the opposite side of the tumbler with the door closed;

Fig. 7 is a front view of the door operating mechanism partly in full and partly in section;

Fig. 8 is an end elevation view of the door operating mechanism and parts in section of the door;

Fig. 9 is a Wiring diagram;

Fig. 10 is a supplemental diagram of the motor reversing switch mechanism.

Referring to lthe drawings, the numeralV 11 designates the base, 12 the outer housing, and 13 the revolving perforated drying drum.

The base 11 is provided with spaced hinge brackets l14 carrying hinge bolts 15 pivotally connected to eyed bolts 16 carried by spaced brackets 17 secured to the forward end of the outer housing 12 to permit the housing to be tipped from its normal drying position shown in Fig. 3 to its unloading position shown in Fig. 4, the top o-f the base back of said hinges being formed to provide a cradle on which the drum rests in its normal position.

ice

j Referringgto Figs. 2 and 4, the housing '12 fis moved to unloading position by la -power motor, here shown as an air cylinder 18 pivotally connected at its lower end by a pivot pin 19 mounted in abracket 20 on the base 11 and whose piston has :a rod V21 pivotally connected at its upper end by a pin 22 mounted in a bracket 23 on the back end of the housing 12. Passage of air to and from the cylinder 18 is controlled by a three way solenoid operated valve V which as shown in Fig. 9 includes a valve housing 24 having a compressed air inlet port 25, an exhaust outlet port 26, and a port 27 connected by piping 28 to the lower end of the cylinder 18. A piston valve 29 Working in the housing 24 controls said ports and is connected to the plunger 30 of 'a solenoid S, said plunger and valve being returned to an off position by a spring 31 acting thereon.

The housing 12 includes a cylindrical shell portion 32, closed at its rear end, which carries a centrally 'disposed drum shaft bearing 33 and has a heater compartment 34 at its upper portion containing the usual `steam heated heating units 35.

The drum 13 is open at its front and closed at its rear end 36, `said rear end carrying a centrally disposed drive and supporting `shaft 37 which is journalled in the bearing 33 and carries a drive sprocket 38 connected by an enclless chain 39 with a sprocket 40 on a lay shaft 41 journalled in bearings carried by the housing 12 and carrying a multi-groove puller 42 connected by V-belts 43 to a smaller grooved pulley 44 on the shaft 45 of an electric motor M mounted on the back end of the housing 12. Thus whenever the motor M is operated, the drum 413 will be revolved within the housing 12, Vsaid drum lbeing of usual form provided with lifting ribs R as shown, for example, in Fig. l of the prior U.S. Patent No. 2,048,743, of July 28, 193 6, to Huebsch et al., so that articles therein will be lifted up to what may be termed a ten to eleven oiclock position and drop by gravity to the bottom of the drum. The m-otor M is preferably a reversible motor so that for predetermined periods it may be revolved at a drying speed in one direction and then through a suitable timing mechanism T hereinafter described be reversed and revolve in the opposite direction, this reversible drive cycle being of advantage to prevent tangling when 'drying .articles such as sheets and bed linen.

Referring to Figs. l to 3, 7, and 8, the circular door 46 is adapted to close off a flanged opening 47 of the housing 12 and has a recessed portion 48 adapted to substantially close oif the front open end of the drum 13 without contacting therewith. A stud 49 is clamped at one end to the central portion of the door 46, and its outer end is secured to a collar 50 fixed on a tubular shaft 51 pivotally connected to the lower ends of hollow carrier arms 52 pivotally mounted at their upper ends on the ends of a fixed shaft 53. As herein shown, the outer side of each arm 52 is connected, as by Welding, to a collar 54 on a shaft 55 which is free to turn in the tubular shaft 53 xed to the -outer peripheral portion of the housing 12 by brackets 56. A sprocket 57 is mounted `at each end of the shaft 53 and connected by a chain structure 58 with a sprocket 59 mounted at each end of the tubular shaft 51 which is free to turn relative to the arms 52. A latch operating shaft `60 is journalled in bearings 61 mounted in the shaft 51 and at its outer ends carries latch members 462 adapted to engage fixed hooks 63 on the housing 12, said members being connected together at one of their ends by a transversely disposed operating bar 64 and having openings 65 at their other ends into which stop pins 66 on the arms S2 project to limit the swinging movement of said latches relative to said arms. The chain structure includes a pair of chains 58A connected by adjustable turnbuckles 58B. The latches 62 are normally urged to a latch engageable 3 position by torsion springs 67 anchored at one of their ends to said latches-and at their other ends to' the stop pins 66 so that a forward pull on the bar 64 by the operator will swing the latches 62 to a disengaged position andl will also swing the lower ends ofthe arms S2 outwardly from the drum. This outward swinging movement of the arms causes the upper chains 58A to swing with them, and since the pivotpoints for theV arms are the centers of the Xed sprockets 57, one side of the chains unwrap themselves from one side of the sprockets and wrap themselves about the other side of these sprockets to produce a pull on theklower chains 58A and thus act to turn the sprockets S9, shaft 51, and collar 50 so that as the lower end of the door 46 swings outwardly and upwardly in an arc indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3, the' door as awhole moves-vertically in planes substantially parallel to the' open end of the housing as shown in said ligure, thusV permitting a' load receiving receptacle to be moved into position for charging or discharging operations without interference fromthe door.

The weight of the door 46 and the arms S2 is counterbalanced by counterweightsV `68* carried by rods 69 securedv to brackets 70 clamped to the arms S2.

The base 11 is provided with a fan housing 71 having an inlet conduit 72 and an exhaust conduit 73. At its upper end the inlet conduit 72 connects by an abutting engagement with a longitudinally extending passage 74 in the housing 12 when in a drying position. A suction fan 75 works in the housing 71 and is carried by the shaft 76 of a fan drive motor 77. The connection between the passage 74 and the conduit 72 is broken when the housing 12 is tilted to its dumping position.

The air control valve V for the cylinder 18 is supplied with compressed air from piping including a pipe 78 including a iilter F and a pressure regulator PR. An automatic lubricator L is provided in the piping 28.

Referring to Fig. 9, the timer T includes an electric motor TM whose shaft 79 carries cams l80 and 81 controlling switches 82 and 83. The cams 80 and 81 are designed to provide a dwell between the opening and closing of the switches 82 and 83.

Referring to Figs. 9v and 10, solenoid operated relays S1 andY S2 control the reversible circuits for the drum drive motor M for its high speed revolution. A solenoid operated relay S3 controls the circuitfor the motor M for its slow speed operation, and a solenoid operated relay S4'controls the circuit supply for the fan motor 77 These relays are of old and well known construction and conventionally illustrated in Fig. 9 and` each includes` a plurality of bridging contactor bars BB adapted to bridge contacts in the circuits just mentioned and` more particularly hereinafter referred to. A pair of thermal overload devices T1 and T2 are connected in the supply circuit. Switch mechanism CS underthe control of the operator controls the operation of the motor TM, the relays S1, S2, S3, and S4, and the solenoid S. Fig. l is a top view of the reversing contactors.

Three phase current supply lines A, B, and C, connect respectively with the' device T1, a` conductor 84,. andthe device T2. The devices T1 and T2 are connected together by conductors 85 and 86. A live Wire 87 receives current from the devices T1 and T2 and is connected to contact carrying arms 88 and 89; Arms 88 when turned respectively connect wire 87 with conductors 90 and 91. Currentl can then pass via' conductors 90 and 92 to the motor TM, conductors 93, 94, 9S, 96 to return l84 to actuate this motor, and current can also pass Via conductors y90 and 97 tomovable arms of switches '82 and 83. With switch 82 closed current passes via conductor 98 to the coil of relay S1, conductors 94, 95,.and 96 to returnl 84. With switch 83` closed current passes viaconductor 99 to the coil of relay S2, conductors 94, 9S, and 96 to return 84. Currentalso passes via conductor 91 to the'coil of`relay S4, conductor 96 toretu'rn 84'. Thus movement of switch mechanism CS to one position energizes relay S1 (with the switch 82 closed) toy connect the motor supply conductors A1, B1, and C1 with the motor M through its high speed winding to drive the drum in one direction and will energize relay S2 (with the switch 83 closed) to reversibly connect the motor supply conductors A1, B1, and-C1 with the motor M through its high speed winding to drive the drum in the opposite direction. Referring to Fig. l0, when the solenoid S is energized, the bridging bars BB thereof respectively connect contacts DIF and DIR together, also contacts D2F and DZR together and contacts DSF and DSR together, and this will cause current to ow from line A through overload device T to D6F, DSR and by way of one of the bridges BB of S1 to D3F, and conductor A' to motor M, also from line B, conductors 96, and 94 to DSF, D2R and by way of one of the bridges BB of S1 to conductor B and motor M and also from line C, conductor 86, overload device T1 to contacts D4F, DIR and by way of one of the bridges BB of S1 to conductor C and motor M to drive the motor through its high speed winding in one direction. When relay S1 is deenergized and relay S2 is energized, the bridging bars BB of this relay connect contacts D4F and D4R together, and DSF and DSR together with DGF and'DR together, whereby line A is now connected through bridged contacts D6Fvand D6R to Contact DIF and'conductor C1 to motor M, line B through conductors 96, 95, 94 to contact DSF through bridged contacts DSF and DSR to contact D2F and conductor B1 to motor M and line C through 86 to overload device T1 and contact D4F which is bridged to contact D4R that connects with D3F and conductor A1 to motor M to drive said motor M through its high speed winding in the reverse direction. The movement ot the switch mechanism to connect conductor 91 with the coil of relay S4 energizes this coil to connect the supply conductors A2, B2, and C2 withV the fan motor 77 so that this motor operates all the time in one direction while switch CS is closed to drive the fan 76 and induce a dow of air through the heater unit 34 and through theinterior of the housing 12 and the drum 13 to extract moisture from the articles being treated. Whensolenoid 8 4 is energized, line A connects through conductor 8S, overload device T2 to contact DIOR which is bridged to contact D10F connected by conductor A2 to motor 77, line B connects through conductors 96,-95, 94 to contacts DSF, D8F and D11R which latter Contact is bridged to contact D11F connected by conductor B2 to motor 77 and line C connects throughv overload device T2 to D12R which is bridged to contactl D12F connected by conductor C2 to motor 77 so that the fanmotor is operated.

The movement of the switch mechanism CS to its mid-position opens the circuits to all the motors and the valve solenoid S; Arms 89 when turnedrespectively connect wire 87 with conductors 100 and 101. Current can then pass via conductor to the coil of relay S3, conductor 96 to return 84 energizing relay S3` and can pass via conductor 101 to the coil of solenoid S,- conductors 102, 96 to return `84 energizingv saidl solenoid to move the valve V to a position admitting compressed air into cylinder 18 to tilt the housing 12 to its discharge position. Energization of relay S3 connects the current supply lines with the lines A3, B3, and C3 to supply current to the low speed windings of the motor M to revolve the drum at low speed in one direction to advance the dried articles therein toward and out'of the open end' of the drum 13 so that they will fall into a receiving receptacle placed infront of or below the opening 47 of the housing when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 4. When solenoid S3 is energized, line A connects through overload device T1 with contacts D6F and D7R which is bridged to D7F that is connected by conductor C3 t'o the low speed winding of the motor M, line'B connects through conductors '96, 95 and 94 connected contacts DSF and DSR which latter contact is'bridged to contact DSF that is connected by conductor B3 to the motor M and line C connects through conductor 86, overload device T1 and its connection with D4F to that contacts connection with contact D9R which is then bridged to contact D9F that is connected by conductor A3 with the motor M soV that this motor is rotated in one direction at its low speed. Thus the movement of the switch mechanism CS fromits mid-position to its other position operates valve V and the motor M. The circuit connections between the overload devices T and T1 and contactors of the relays S2, S3, and S4 are indicated in Fig. 9 and are conventional so that a detailed description thereof is not considered necessary.

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 3, the material to be dried is loaded through the open ends of the housing 12 and drum 13 into the drum. The operator then swings the arms 52 down to close the doo-r 46 and latches it to the housing as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 6. The switch mechanism CS is then operated to close the circuit to fan motor 77, the timer motor TM, and the high speed winding of the motor M so that the drum 13 turns at high speed to agitate the articles therein. As the timer motor TM turns, the cams 80 and 81 alternately open and close the switches 82 and 83 with an intermittent dwell so that the drum 13 revolves at high speed in one direction for a predetermined period and then in the opposite direction for a similar period. During this time the air drawn past the heater 35 by the fan 75 is heated and drawn through the housing 12 and drum 13 to dry the articles. After a predetermined drying period, the operator shifts the switch mechanism CS to open the circuit to the fan motor 77, the supply conductors A1, B1, and C1 for the motor M, and the timer motor TM and close the circuit to the valve V and to the low speed windings for the motor M, tilt the housing 12 and drum 13 to an unloading position, and revolve the drum 13 at a lower speed. The operator then unlatches the door 46 and swings it with the arms 52 to the open position shown in Fig. 4 so that the dried articles are discharged from the open ends of the housing and drum into a receptacle disposed below said ends. With unloading completed, the switch mechanism is returned to its mid or oi position cutting out motor M and solenoid S so that the housing and drum return to their drying position ready to repeat the cycle on another batch of wet articles. For most eicient drying, the speed of the tumbler cylinder or drum 13 should be such that the load will be carried up to a position corresponding to about or 11 oclock, thence falling across the drum freely so that the load will land at a point nearly diametrically opposite the point of departure, thus spending as much time as possible in the heated air currents for rapid drying.

For most rapid unloading it is important that the load work its way forward as quickly as possible, that as few articles as possible carry over, and that articles not be thrown out to either side beyond the receiving truck when unloading. A slower speed for unloading accelerates the motion of the load toward the open end and reduces the carryover and prevents the discharged articles from spreading out or tlying out in all directions. As an example of suitable drum speeds, the drum 13 is revolved during the drying period through the reduction drive previously described at 38 r.p.m. and during unloading at 27 r.p.m.

I desire it to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to any particular form or arrangement of parts except insofar as such limitations are included in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a drying tumbler, the combination of a base, a housing tiltably mounted on said base for movement from a horizontally disposed drying position to an inclined discharging position, said housing having a drum portion, an air heater section communicating at its lower end with said drum portion and an air discharge outlet communicating with the lower end of said drum portion, a perforated drying drum mounted to revolve in said drum portion of the housing, a fan, a housing for saidrevolving said drying drum while in its drying position at one speed, means for tilting said housing toits discharging position, and means for revolving said drying drum in its discharging position at a lower speed than of its rotation in its drying position.

2. In a drying tumbler, the combination of a base, a housing tiltably mounted on said base for movement from a horizontally disposed drying position to an inclined discharging position, said housing having a drum portion with an inlet and discharge opening at one end and closed at its other end, a drying drum mounted in said drum portion having an open end adjacent said discharge opening and a closed end adjacent the closed end thereof and having a supporting drive shaft journalled in a bearing carried by said closed end of said drum portion, a door movably mounted on said housing for closing said openings in said drum portion and said drum, operator controlled means for opening and closing said door, means for inducing a flow of heated air through said housing and drum when said housing is in its drying position, a two speed electric motor, a drive connection between said motor and said drum shaft, a source of electric current and control circuits for said motor including switch mechanism under the control of the operator for supplying current to operate said motor at one speed when the housing is in its drying position and at another and lower speed when the housing is in its discharging position, and power operated means also under the control of said switch mechanism for tilting said drum to its discharging position.

3. The drying tumbler as dened in claim 2, wherein the means for tilting the drum is a uid power operated cylinder controlled by a solenoid operated valve in the fluid supply line for said cylinder controlled by said switch mechanism.

4. The drying tumbler as defined in claim 1, wherein the operator controlled means for opening and closing said door are a pair of arms pivotally mounted at one of their ends on said housing and pivotally connected at their other ends to the central portion of the door, and means associated with said arms to permit outward and upward swinging movement of the door in planes substantially parallel to the open end of said housing.

5. The tumbler as defined in claim 4, wherein the means associated with the arms to permit outward and upward swinging movement of the door are xed sprockets on the pivotal mounting for said arms, sprockets turnable with-the central portion `of the door and chains operatively connected with said sprockets.

6. The tumbler as defined in claim 4, wherein operator controlled latching means are provided for latching said arms to said housing in the closed position of the door including a latch member pivotally mounted on one of said arms, and a keeper for said latch member mounted on said housing.

7. In a drying tumbler, the combination of a base, a housing tiltably mounted on said base for movement from a horizontally disposed drying position to an inclined discharging position, said housing having a drum portion, an air heater section communicating at its lower end with said drum portion and an air discharge outlet communicating with the lower end of said drum portion, a perforated drying drum mounted to revolve in said druml portion of the housing, a fan, a housingfor said fan mountedin said base with the inlet to said fan housing communicating with said airV discharge otlef in the drying position of said housing, said drum portion and drying drum having adjacently disposed ingress and egress openings, a door movably mounted on said housing for closing said openings, means for opening and closing said door, motor means for driving said fan, means for revolving said drying drum while in its drying position in one direction for a predetermined period and 10 in the opposite direction for a similar period at one speed, means for tilting said housing to its discharging" position, and motor means for revolving said drying drum in its diseharging position at a lower speedthanl of its:

5 rotation in itsdrying position.

References Citedv in the le of this patent' UNITED STATES PATENTSi Purkett Dec. si, 1935f Huebsch et al. July 28, 1936' 

